After a Total Complete Rest on Shabbat

"There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

~Albert Einstein

 

Shabbat has ended, I did my Havdalah rituals and said good-bye to a wonderful restful Shabbat. I feel so rested, so completely at ease--this revitalization of my spirit, body, and mind is so incredible--it is like nothing else I have experienced.

 

I do yoga on Shabbat instead of working out at the gym, and this yoga I do with  my body relaxes all of my muscles--I sleep if I want to--do not get out of bed until later in the morning, and this also relaxes my body. I do not eat processed sugar on Shabbat--my body is a Temple to Adonai and so I really keenly watch my diet on Shabbat and my body, my liver and kidneys get a rest on Shabbat this way too. I do not cook on Shabbat and eat only kosher foods.

 

I read my Siddur and study Torah on Shabbat--reading in bed--and this reading does wonders to put me in a holy state of mind. Today I read about the Tabernacle--the first Synagogue built under the leadership of Moses, and the Parashat was beautiful. I imagined being in the Tabernacle and seeing the gold, silver, bronze and copper that was used to make the mishkan and other items in the Tabernacle and hence, I was in the richest state of mind one could imagine. And to think all those precious metals were donated by the Jews who were slaves and had just been freed from Egypt, and they were donated with good will--real love for the first Synagogue. I just love it.

 

This restful state of mind, body, and spirit is necessary for me to regenerate good positive energy, and to use my energy to do good. I try not to carry things on Shabbat, and try to limit my music to Classical relaxing music. This also helps to religiously respect Shabbat rules and to get the needed rest I have to have to function properly. I do not hurry anything on Shabbat. I take my time eating and digesting good kosher meals, never gulp down my food in a rush on Shabbat. This relaxes my digestive system, and my body feels better because of this modified slow eating behavior. I remove my eyeglasses and relax my eyes. When I relax my eyes and just use them for reading and studying, they do not hurt or get tired. I shower on Shabbat. The hot cleansing and purified water hits my sore muscles like a whirlpool bath and it is warm and soothing.

 

I always wear only white clothes on Shabbat. I feel this limit to pure colors--just the purest of whites--is a respectful way to dress when praising Adonai. It adds to my feeling of holiness to dress only in whites. I do not wear leather shoes on Shabbat--my feet are extra comfortable this way. I wear athletic shoes, they are white and do not disrespect animals because I am not stepping on leather. My feet get relaxed and never feel sore on Shabbat. I walk slowly, and in a meditative manner, looking in my environment for beauty, and this slow gait keeps me from feeling hurried or rushed, and adds to my Shabbat rest.

 

I limit my caffeine intake on Shabbat--it would just speed up my body and this would detract from the complete rest I could get. I drink plenty of pure cool water instead.

 

I do all this to chill out, to lounge, and to let my body, mind and spirit detox from all the weekdays' work. I do not create on Shabbat. I put my drawing art supplies in my closet and lock them up for the day. I also do not email or write on Shabbat. I communicate with God and the Jews I live with, and do not stress myself out with excessive communications. I turn off  my computer completely, and this relief is so good. I do not play at all with electronics on Shabbat. This relief I get when I turn my computer off is so restful.

 

Shabbat works for me to rest myself when I follow these rules of relaxation. I do everything in my power to de-stimulate, and do this ritually. I am so blessed to be able to rest on Shabbat as a Jew. I would never trade this rest for anything else in the whole wide world. To me resting on Shabbat makes me a millionaire and when I go to a Synagogue on Shabbat I am a minionaire--a Jew blessed to pray with 10 or more Jews in an egalitarian minion. I have my body, mind and spirit doing a complete turn around to being the best I can be. Thank you, to my Rabbi and my spiritual community for teaching me how to rest. And mostly, thank you to Adonai--I could never do it without You.